I wish summer could go on forever. I know it gets old after awhile and the best parts of life can not be captured or saved. Like a butterfly it comes and goes each year leaving only a memory. Still, i wish it could be like this forever. We are now going into the raspberry and blueberry phase of summer and Julie spends part of each day making jam. We just finished up on the strawberry season and i stuffed myself to a point of saturation. After the blueberries we switch over to figs and in late summer the pears and apples start. All along summers path is a parade of animals and plants that come and go. The vegetable garden makes a big impact as does the migrant birds who fill our nest boxes. Each year it is the same parade and it is different. One always sees a new animal or plant and sometimes awareness increases and we are able to see things that had always been present but hidden by our limited intelligence and senses. I'll even be accept the skunks, moles, possums, slugs, and raccoons along with this fantasy of endless summer. This isn't easy for me to acknowledge because of an ongoing war with one raccoon. This is a smart raccoon and has avoided my traps and attempts to chase it off. Of course, i could get the ultimate weapon.. marshmallows. They can't resist marshmallows. The only problem is that marshmallows also catch the possums and skunks. Ever caught a skunk in a trap? ---------- Jeff Owens ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Zone 7, http://www.teleport.com/~kowens Underground house, solar energy, reduced consumption, no TV
